This invention relates to machine tools and more particularly to a tool assembly for performing a work function on a shallow side wall of a workpiece such as a wood panel used in the manufacture of furniture, cabinetry and the like.
In the woodworking and other industries, it often is desired to bore horizontal holes in shallow workpieces such as panels used in the manufacture of furniture, cabinetry and the like. Typically, such boring operations are performed on machine tools generally including a worktable upon which the workpiece is positioned, a toolhead assembly provided with a horizontally disposed drill bit which is adapted to the maneuvered by the machine to bore a horizontal hole in a shallow side surface of the workpiece. Because of the shallow thicknesses of such panels and the construction of conventional drill assemblies, it has been necessary to elevate the workpieces on the worktable of the machine to provide sufficient clearance to accommodate the drill assemblies.
Generally, such drill assemblies have been provided with a housing adapted to the mounted on the toolhead assembly, one or more solid or ball bearings mounted in the housing and a drive spindle journaled in such bearings. Such drive spindles usually have been provided with a bevel gear which meshes with a similar gear mounted on a driven shaft also journaled in the housing and operably connected to a drillhead assembly. The use of either a solid or ball bearing for the spindle shaft requires the displacement of the axis of such shaft at such a distance from the bottom surface of the housing in which the shaft is mounted that it is not possible to bore holes in a workpiece mounted directly on the work table, thus necessitating the elevation of the workpiece by use of spacer panels placed under the workpiece.
The requirement of having to elevate such workpieces has been found to be undesirable in that it not only requires the use of spacer panels to elevate the workpieces but further increases the setup time of the machine, correspondingly increasing the cycle times of the machining operation.
Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved tool assembly for machine tools.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved tool assembly for machine tools adapted to perform work functions on a side surface of a shallow panel member.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved tool assembly for a machine tool adapted to perform a work function such as boring a hole or routing a slot on a side surface of a shallow panel member mounted on a worktable of the machine tool without having to elevate the panel member in order to accommodate the tool assembly.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved tool assembly for a machine tool adapted to perform work functions on an end or side wall of a shallow panel member mounted directly on a worktable of the machine tool.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved tool assembly for a machine tool adapted to perform a work function on an end or side wall surface of a shallow workpiece mountable on a worktable of the machine tool which requires a minimum amount of setup time.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved assembly for a machine tool adapted to perform a work function such as drilling, reaming or counter sinking a hole or routing a groove or a slot in an end or side wall surface of a shallow panel member mounted directly on a worktable of the machine tool which is comparatively simple in design, relatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture and highly effective in performance.